Quarry Rock, Deep Cove
Markus taking in the view of Deep Cove from the top of the Quarry Rock hike
About Quarry Rock Hike
Type: Trail
Length: 3.7 km
Traffic: Heavy
Route Type: Out & Back
Markus waiting for his share of lunch at the BBQ at Deep Cove
Our family loves going to Deep Cove, North Vancouver in British Columbia. It's a great way to spend an afternoon or even an entire day with the number of things to do such as kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, crushing doughnuts from Honey's or just having BBQ's. One of the things that people love to do is the Quarry Rock hike. We've done the hike before in the past, but we recently go to do it with Markus.
Quarry Rock is a dog-friendly hike and it is not too difficult to do with a dog. It is a straight path back and forth and in total, the hike takes about 1.5 hours, though people tend to stay a bit longer when they get to the top. The hike consists of dirt paths and man-made stairs and bridges and the elevation gain (roughly 100m) isn't too much. That said, if your dog isn't used to doing hikes or isn't active, maybe this isn't the hike to start them on. For some, it's a casual to active hike, but for others (like us) it becomes a workout, so bring your dog at your discretion.
Markus going up dirt stairs at the Quarry Rock hike
During the hike, we came across a number of dogs that were off-leash. With Markus being a reactive dog, we do have concerns when off-leash dogs approach us, but we never had an issue with the dogs that we came across. Although the sometimes narrow paths can make it harder for people and dogs to pass each other, we found that the dogs were very well-trained and tend to pass by quickly. It's almost as if the dogs have a sense of mission and the owners usually aren't stopping for a chat either. This type of quick exchange prevents dogs from letting tensions boil over.
What makes this hike worth it is the view at the end. For all the Instagram people out there, the view at the top of Quarry Rock that overlooks Deep Cove is simply amazing. When you do get to the top, though, keep in mind that you will be on a cliff very high up, so your dog should be leashed. As you approach the top of the hike, remember to take the time to this, just in case.
Because of this view, the hike tends to get extremely busy. We did the hike on a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of summer and even then, it was already quite busy. You can just imagine how much busier it gets during the weekends. If you're concerned about your reactive dog meeting other dogs on the trail, I'd recommend finding a day that's not as hot or going earlier in the day so that it's not as busy. You can generally tell how busy it is by looking at how busy the parking area is.
Markus going down the well-maintained stairs at the Quarry Rock hike
We did the hike in early July on a hot day and we can't stress the importance of bringing extra water! Between the two of us and Markus, we were carrying a jug of about 1.6L of water and a 700ml sports water bottle and we managed to finish all of it towards the end of the hike. Also remember to bring a dish so that your dog can have a drink and pause frequently to let them rehydrate throughout the hike. We love using the Kurgo Collaps-a-Bowl because it collapses into a flat dish when you're carrying it and you can expand it to hold water for your dog. We like attaching one of the ends to a carabiner and on the outside of our bag so we don’t get any water inside.
We highly recommend doing this hike with your dog. It's a great trail that's well maintained with a view at the top that makes the whole thing worth it. Just be prepared for a workout and to sweat a little bit if you're out of shape!
What we liked
Amazing view at the top of the trail.
The trail was very well maintained.
The hike was a good length and elevation gain.
There are other fun things to do in the Deep Cove area.
What we didn’t like
The hike can be extremely busy, especially during nice days.
There were narrow paths where you have to take turns going each direction.
There aren't any garbage cans throughout the hike, so you'll have to carry your doggie bags with you.
Our Recommendation For Reactive Dogs
The Quarry Rock Hike is a beautiful trail to do with your dog. The paths can be pretty narrow and you’re likely going to have to cross paths with other dogs. There were moments where I felt fortunate we didn’t cross paths with another dog in that moment. That said, a lot of these dogs seem to walk as if they’re on a mission and they’re not really stopping to sniff each other (unless the owners stop). A lot of the dogs that were off-leash were well-trained and they mostly left each other alone. We didn’t have any issues, but if you’re still not comfortable with it, it’s completely understandable and it’s good to err on the side of caution for your dog.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
